jazzbo

Great deals! I think there's a chance these are new, deleted items, rather than used. I'm not the world's largest Pepper fan. I really see the word "genius" tossed around a lot, and I think there are a lot fewer geniuses in jazz than claimed. Charlie Parker: genius. Art Pepper? I don't think so. Plus in my personal life I've actually met a few people who claim they're geniuses. . . but I don't think they are! I too find myself reaching for early Pepper more frequently, but I like the later Pepper too. It's just as fasstrack seems to feel as well: the early Pepper is more fun, less . . . well I won't say mannered, there's something about the later work that doesn't ring as true to me. Ah well, that's okay. Fine fine work for the most part (and I've heard a few unofficial things that really are awesome). I still find things to really enjoy in the later Pepper and still grab and listen. Still, did he move the whole genre forward? Did he introduce radical new concepts? That would signal genius to me, but I don't see the signals. . . .

Agreed.

Just finished watching "Life" on NBC.

I was out of comics by then, I pretty much stopped reading in 1979 or so, and didn't read much at all in the eighties besides the Warren magazine and Kitchen Sink comics reissues of The Spirit. When the graphic novels hit I picked up a few, The Dark Knight and Ronin because Miller had impressed me with Daredevil before I stopped reading comics, and he was so Eisnerian, and Watchmen because I actually was fond of the Charlton characters that Ditko had breathed new life into for a brief sixties time, and Rorsach really seemed like "Mr. A" to me, one of my favorite Dikto efforts (because it was so extreme!) So I'll not be going to see Watchmen with great expectations other than to have a good comic book movie experience. (Which to me is more than enough; Daredevil for example, or Spiderman 3 or Dark Knight or Iron Man).

Especially since David Weiss above states that the release has been long-planned.

Of this list, Braxton has taken me the longest to get into, but it's happening. Really, I've been listening a long time and have had time to understand some aspects of these and many other greats as well as "non-greats". . . and learn to enjoy many who had not opened up to me before.

Thanks. I'm sure it does.

Is that a mahogany top? I'm fast learning to love mahogany . . . .

Nice looking guitar!

My girlfriend. . . one of her many virtues to me is her love of music. . . she just listens all the time, as I do, and to different material. She's open to my collection, and I'm open to hers. It's GREAT. (Everything is great with her! I'm a lucky man.)

I met a Portuguese student here on a bus stop bench and talked to her there and on the bus going into campus. . . I recognized her accent as Portuguese and was very pleased. . . . I heard Portuguese when in Africa visiting Mocambique as well (four decades ago!). Here is the funny part for me: I asked her about Brazilian Portuguese because I loved the sound of the music and singing, and she said that Brazilians are "rougher" with the language, the sound was harsher. . . when my ears were telling me. . .the opposite!

There's another side of Armstrong-as-artist, just published (I have it on order, and await its arrival): "Satchmo: The Wonderful World and Art of Louis Armstrong [iLLUSTRATED] (Hardcover) by Steven Brower (Author)" Here's Amazon's product description: Satchmo: The Wonderful World and Art of Louis Armstrong is a biography in the form of an art book. It tells the story of Armstrong's life through his writings, scrapbooks, and artworks, many of which have never been published before. Armstrong was the single greatest creative artist in the history of jazz and the American popular song. A true American original, he was prolific in coining colorful expressions that entered the lexicon; he wrote long, colorful prose pieces about his experiences; and he made hundreds of collages using marvelous photographs that capture archetypal scenes in the life of a jazz musician. Everything he did was an extension of his artistry. Satchmo is a vivid trip through American jazz at mid-century, to the beat of Armstrong's own jazzy words. The book also includes photographs of Armstrong and is framed by a text that describes his significance. It will be enjoyed not only by jazz fans but also by art lovers, who will welcome Armstrong into the pantheon of American visual artists. I'll have to get this. . . Armstrong was a total genius, he could express himself in so many fulfilling ways.

Yes. I have all the in print Mosaics (and then some). I have all this Armstrong material as well, but have ordered the Mosaic. There's no comparison, the Armstrong is deeper music than the Goodman if you ask me (and I'm a BG fan).

I love this movie. It's one of the few movies I have watched more than three times. The Blu-Ray has incredible picture and sound.

Get them both. Get the Armstrong first. More variety, more powerful music.

but this isn't EMI releasing these, they're just responding to license requests and getting money from stuff (yet again) that are in demand for the audiophile market.

Ah Rob, there's no real competition in the market place I don't think . . . these XRCDs etc. are for people who have invested in expensive stereos and want to reap the rewards with extraordinary sounding recordings. A different market altogether from serious jazz fans, with a tiny bit of overlap.

It was out as a Connoisseur.

My favorite exchange with Mosaic regarding suggesting sets. . . .: I emailed Michael Cuscuna about a Babs Gonzales set, collecting all the work as a leader. I thought this would have one of the most fascinating booklets ever. A few days later I got the most appropriate response ever: "Lon, you are out of your mind!"

Well, I liked 300, so that's not holding me back. I'll probably see it next weekend.

That was broadcast on PBS. Was an okay show.

The forties material is available on the OJC cd Bean and the Boys, Coleman Hawkins.

I haven't watched this season, or the one before. This was my late wife's favorite show, and I watched all the first six seasons with her, through thick and thin, she loved it so. Since she's been gone. . . I watched some and for a while felt close to her, but soon found I couldn't watch it without her for a number of reasons. . . .

Yes, these preconceived notions are what seem to ruin them for many. I don't really expect any of them to be perfect adaptations of how the source material is TO ME, so I just take them for what they are, entertainment, the new rebooted version the parent company wants to cash in on, etc. I do enjoy them, I just don't take them too seriously. Some I really have liked a lot, like "The Spirit." I'll probably enjoy "Watchmen" a lot too, for the spectacle and entertainment. I don't expect it to be "all Allen Moore and a bag of chips." Oddly, the one that I thought was a very faithful adaptation was "The Spirit," and NO ONE seemed to like that one. . . !